A Polar Plunge in May?

Cape Cod in the springtime is variable. Temperatures struggled to reach the high 40’s last weekend. The trees danced with the gale force winds. White caps on the bay side. Nearly 20 degrees cooler than my adopted home of Vermont. An unexpected turn of events…

A Sunday afternoon walk in Dennis, MA with my daughter, her husband, my granddaughter and our two red and white dogs was sporty. One a Brittany Spaniel and the other a mixed breed rescue. Nearly ten and fourteen years of age respectfully. Down jackets a must. Hats too. The heavy plastic wind shield on the running stroller protected my granddaughter from the harsh elements. The sun shone brightly but the wind. The wind…

We walked and talked as briskly as the air moved around us. Jumping from topic to topic while admiring the local real estate. The spirit of the day this Mother’s Day was festive. While walking through neighborhoods we found our way to the public entrance to Scargo Lake. A freshwater kettle pond formed by a glacier. An appropriate description for this very cold day. A dark sedan with Massachusetts license plates was solely parked off to the side as we entered the small lot…

Our eyes immediately shifted and focused on a couple treading water in the lake. An unremarkable image on a hot day in July but it was barely 50 degrees in May. Our bundled group stopped to stare in disbelief. We made our cumbersome way to the water’s edge trying to be nonchalant as we mutually acknowledged one another. We chatted with the couple in a casually familiar way. They were surprisingly relaxed. Improbable that they could be, but they were. My son-in-law dipped his hand into the lake confirming what we already imagined. Our small talk with the couple ended nearly as quickly as it began. We wished each other a good day, and, on our way, we were…

Delighted by the experience we animatedly walked home barely noticing the force of the wind…

“Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue.” Confucius